Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Matehuala, Gothic Revival cathedral in Matehuala, Mexico.
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Matehuala is a neo-Gothic and neo-Byzantine church of light grey stone, still under construction. Its facade has a central gable crowned by a stone cross, a wide pointed arch with a rose window and clock at its centre, and arcaded bands curving along the arch. Two square towers with small arched openings flank the gable, and statues stand in niches beside the rose window.
In January 1898 the bishop of San Luis Potosí, Ignacio Montes de Oca, ordered the demolition of the old parish church, which threatened to collapse, and Adamo Boari drew up the new temple based on Gaspard André's Saint-Joseph des Brotteaux in Lyon. The first stone was laid in 1906, and the north nave, called "la nave" by locals, was the first section finished. Work stopped during the Revolution, and in the 1930s Bishop Guillermo Tritschler resumed it with artificial stone after the plans turned up at the Academia de San Carlos and in Lyon; Jorge de María y Campos continued the double columns, arches and domes. The parish was raised to cathedral on 28 May 1997 by a letter of John Paul II.
The cathedral is the main gathering point for Catholic life in Matehuala, used daily for Mass and religious celebrations. On major feast days, the square in front fills with people from the surrounding area.
The cathedral sits at a central intersection in downtown Matehuala and is easy to reach on foot from most of the town center. Some parts of the building are still under construction, so access to certain areas may be limited during a visit.
The cathedral was modeled directly on the Saint-Joseph des Brotteaux church in Lyon, France, making it one of the few buildings in Mexico shaped by a specific French reference. This origin is visible in the overall form of the facade and towers.
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